--- title: "Object Storage Swift - Getting started with the Swift API" description: "Find out how to use the Swift API" url: https://docs.ovhcloud.com/en/guides/storage-and-backup/object-storage/pcs-getting-started-with-the-swift-api lang: en lastUpdated: 2021-05-25 --- # Object Storage Swift - Getting started with the Swift API ## Objective You can use the OpenStack API to generate various scripts in order to automate your actions on the Public Cloud. The OpenStack _swiftclient_ lets you interact with and manage your containers and objects. For example, you can upload files to your containers regularly in order to back them up. **This guide will help you get started with the OpenStack API in order to manage your object containers using the _python-swiftclient_.** ## Requirements - Preparing the environment to [use the OpenStack API](/en/guides/public-cloud/cross-functional/compute-prepare-openstack-api-environment.md) by installing _python-swiftclient_ - Setting the [OpenStack environment variables](/en/guides/public-cloud/cross-functional/compute-set-openstack-environment-variables.md) ## Instructions :::info Please note that the following instructions only pertain to the command line interface of a GNU/Linux distribution, after implementing the requirements above. ::: ### Swift documentation You can retrieve the list of possible commands from the client's documentation: ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift --help ``` Here is the list of the main commands: | Command | Description | | ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **delete** | Deletes a container or objects within a container | | **download** | Downloads objects from containers | | **list** | Lists the containers for the account or the objects for a container | | **post** | Updates meta information for the account, container, or object. If the container is not found, it will be created automatically. | | **stat** | Displays information for the account, container, or object. | | **upload** | Uploads specified files and directories to the given container. | | **capabilities** | Retrieves capability of the proxy. | | **tempurl** | Generates a temporary URL for a Swift object. | For an explanation of a specific Swift command, add `--help` at the end of it: ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift post --help Updates meta information for the account, container, or object. If the container is not found, it will be created automatically. Positional arguments: [container] Name of container to post to. [object] Name of object to post. Specify multiple times for multiple objects. [...] ``` You can also consult the Swift documentation available on the [OpenStack website](http://docs.openstack.org/cli-reference/content/swiftclient_commands.html). ### Creating a public object container - Create the container "container1": ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift post container1 ``` - Configure the access rights to make your container public: ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift post --header "X-Container-Read: .r:*" container1 ``` - Check the container configuration: ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift stat container1 Account: AUTH_b3e26xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxb0ba29 Container: container1 Objects: 0 Bytes: 0 Read ACL: .r:* Write ACL: Sync To: Sync Key: Accept-Ranges: bytes X-Trans-Id: B2210C05:8D93_052711A1:01BB_561CC9DF_1B305:30D7 X-Storage-Policy: Policy-0 Connection: close X-Timestamp: 1444726875.27475 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 ``` ### Uploading files to your container - Upload the content of a local folder to a container: ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift upload container1 images/ images/OVHlogo.png images/OVHSummitKeynote.jpg ``` A prefix will automatically be added to your files if you send an entire folder instead of a single file. - List a container's files: ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift list container1 images/OVHSummitKeynote.jpg images/OVHlogo.png text1.txt text2.txt text3.txt ``` You can display all files with a particular prefix using the `--prefix` argument: ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift list container1 --prefix images images/OVHSummitKeynote.jpg images/OVHlogo.png ``` If the container is configured as public, you can access the file using a URL: ``` https://storage.gra1.cloud.ovh.net/v1/AUTH_b3e26xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxb0ba29/container1/images/OVHlogo.png ``` This URL is made up of an endpoint, available from the [Horizon interface](/en/guides/public-cloud/cross-functional/compute-horizon-access-security.md), the name of your container and the name of your object (including the prefix). ### Downloading files - Download a file: ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift download container1 text1.txt text1.txt [auth 0.328s, headers 0.452s, total 0.453s, 0.000 MB/s] ``` You can download multiple files with the same prefix, using the following command: ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift download container1 --prefix images images/OVHlogo.png [auth 0.383s, headers 0.520s, total 0.522s, 0.135 MB/s] images/OVHSummitKeynote.jpg [auth 0.371s, headers 0.514s, total 0.559s, 2.657 MB/s] ``` ### Deleting containers or objects - Delete a file: ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift delete container1 text1.txt text1.txt ``` As with downloading, you can delete multiple files using the same prefix, with the following command: ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift delete container1 images/* images/OVHSummitKeynote.jpg images/OVHlogo.png ``` - Delete a container: ``` admin@server-1:~$ swift delete container1 text2.txt text3.txt ``` This will delete all the files in the container. ## Go further   If you need training or technical assistance to implement our solutions, contact your sales representative or click on [this link](https://www.ovhcloud.com/en-gb/professional-services/) to get a quote and ask our Professional Services experts for assisting you on your specific use case of your project. Join our [community of users](https://community.ovhcloud.com/).